The Kansas State University Political, Diplomatic & Military Lecture Series

The Kansas State University Political, Diplomatic & Military Lecture Series was begun in 1995 by Dr. Dale Herspring. Dr. Herspring is an Emeritus University Distinguished Professor in the Political Science Department, and prior to joining K-State, he retired as a Captain (CAPT) in the United States Navy.

Upon Dr. Herspring’s retirement in 2014, Dr. Art DeGroat, K-State’s Executive Director of Military and Veterans' Affairs and a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) assumed leadership of the series.

The Series seeks to bring to K-State the scholars, policy makers, & practitioners who are influencing the most significant issues affecting our country’s national security interests. Our speakers are intentionally selected to expose our community to a nuanced and diverse set of perspectives regarding the issues of the day. Past speakers have included politicians such as Dr. Sergei Khrushchev (the son of the late Soviet leader) and former President of Poland Wojciech Jaruzelski, former Congressman and Under Secretary of the United States Army, Mr. Patrick Murphy. Other speakers have included diplomats such as Gonzalo Gallegos (Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Public Diplomacy) and military leaders including retired Generals Barry McCaffrey and David Petraeus.

We have found the practice of inviting speakers with different backgrounds and areas of responsibility to speak on the same issue has resulted over time in a very comprehensive and rewarding intellectual experience for our guests. Our speakers frequently express their gratitude and appreciation for how well informed our audience tends to be, often revealed by the lively conversations between themselves and our guests during the question and answer period.

We host a total of four events each academic year (two per semester). Each event includes a cocktail reception, dinner, our speaker’s comments, and a time for questions and answers. Tickets for each event are $25. For more information, please contact either Art DeGroat at degroata@ksu.edu or Jed Dunham at jeddunham@ksu.edu. Information on future lectures and events can be found in the calendar to the right.